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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28309371">Fierce Protector</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Cloudy_Day_In_AU_Hell/pseuds/A_Cloudy_Day_In_AU_Hell'>A_Cloudy_Day_In_AU_Hell</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), The Legend of Zelda &amp; Related Fandoms, Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU of an AU within an AU, AU-ception, Blood and Gore, Dream almost dies, Gen, Gift Fic, Graphic Description of Injury, Heavily Implied Murder, I wrote this in a night and said "fuck editing", Time angst, Time finds a kid in the woods, Violence, Whole-ass minecraft fantasy AU, bad just wants to help a stupid reckless muffin, decides to adopt them and kill the people hunting them down lmao, george insists he doesn't need to be helped(while being attacked by like five people), no beta we die like men, parental!Time, sap gets soaked, we love hurting one(1) father of eight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 15:27:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,723</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28309371</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Cloudy_Day_In_AU_Hell/pseuds/A_Cloudy_Day_In_AU_Hell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Time thought he and his son were the last Enderborn and Ender halfborn in the Overworld.</p><p>Apparently, he was wrong</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Four &amp; Hyrule &amp; Legend &amp; Sky &amp; Time &amp; Twilight &amp; Warriors &amp; Wild &amp; Wind (Linked Universe), Malon (Legend of Zelda)/Time (Linked Universe), The entire Dream Team plus BBH &amp; Tubbo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>143</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Run Boy Run AU</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Fierce Protector</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverWolfCub/gifts">WhiteWolfCub (SilverWolfCub)</a>.</li>


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27495922">Run Boy Run</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverWolfCub/pseuds/WhiteWolfCub">WhiteWolfCub (SilverWolfCub)</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy holidays, WolfCub!! This is just a little thing I wrote up because I wanted to show some love for the Run Boy Run AU for the holidays, even if the fic itself isn't exactly... festive. We sure do love our angst! Anyways, this probably isn't canon to either of our main fics, but it was fun to write and I sincerely hope you enjoy it! :D</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The stars were beautiful tonight.</p><p>Time smiled to himself. He didn’t venture too far from the ranch much anymore, and it had been far too long since he’d been out on a ride. Epona huffed, stepping over a fallen tree branch, and Time scratched her behind the ear. He missed being able to go out in broad daylight, though he hadn’t been able to do that since he was a child. </p><p>Those were the days, alright. When he could go where he pleased without a care in the world.</p><p>Without fear of being hunted.</p><p>A light flickered in the distance. Time stiffened and quickly pulled his mask on, momentarily cursing its long protruding “ears” as they caught on his cloak when he tried to pull it down to hide the object. Of course, he’d never change it in a million years--it had been made by his parents before the woods, before the Decree, before… well, before <i>everything</i>. The mask, curious-looking and sometimes inconvenient as it may have been, was all he had left of his family.</p><p><i>Family</i>. The word was… odd, to Time. Family was something he lacked, forgotten long ago. He didn’t even remember what his own mother looked like. Did he have any siblings? What was their home like? None of that mattered now, of course--he’d come to find that they were long gone by the time he left the woods, victims of the Genocide Decree. And yet, the word <i>family</i> meant so, <i>so</i> much to him. His wife, Malon, and his son, Twilight… even the resistance kids he’d come to refer to as “his boys” were family to him now. Sirenborn, angelborn, blazeborn, fae--hell, even those two <i>human</i> boys were practically his own now. And if anything were to happen to them… </p><p>Time’s thoughts were cut short when a scream ripped through the calm of the night air. Epona reared, and Time likely would have been dumped on his ass if he was any less experienced of a rider. “Easy, girl,” he soothed, gently tugging at the reins to guide her back where they came. Whatever was going on, they needed no part in it.</p><p>At least, that’s where he would have been heading if he didn’t hear the shrill yell in a language he hadn’t heard in years.</p><p>“<b>DREAM! WAKE UP!</b>”</p><p>The chill in Time’s chest roared to life, and he accidentally teleported off of Epona. <b><i>Child?</i></b> Well. That was a voice he hadn’t heard in a while. “I’d rather it <i>stayed</i> that way,” the man muttered, not bothering to brush himself off as he got up. He didn’t have time. “If things go south, I trust you’ll head right back to the ranch. Right, old girl?” Time knew that Epona couldn’t understand him, but it set his nerves at ease just a little.</p><p>Then he was off.</p><p>The teleport wasn’t a long one, especially for Time, and he adjusted to his new surroundings just in time to duck sideways and barely dodge an arrow aimed for his head. Experience, you know? His eye scanned the area. A group of hunters, ten of them, all armed with enchanted and Netherite weapons. A blazeborn, pinned down to the ground and soaking wet. Tendrils of steam rose off of his body, and Time was half surprised the hunters didn’t crumble to ash from his glare alone. A Demon halfborn, who seemed to be shielding an injured human with goggles. <i>They must be on our side, then,</i> Time reasoned. <b><i>Child. Where is the child?</i></b> There.</p><p>
  <i>Oh.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Oh no.</i>
</p><p>Time teleported beside the boy, ignoring the cold in his chest that came with it. He couldn’t have been older than Wild; in fact, he was probably a year or two younger, somewhere between him and Wind in age. The fact that he didn’t wear a mask--<i>must be halfborn, then</i>--made it easier to tell. His clothes were covered in blood, but he appeared to be mostly unharmed--aside from a shallow cut on his cheek, Time didn’t see so much as a scratch on him.</p><p>No, the blood must have come from the unconscious person <b><i>child</i></b> bleeding out in front of him.</p><p>Time felt something inside of him twist in fury. There was a gaping wound in the unconscious boy’s--man’s?--chest. Someone had stuck something in there and dug, leaving torn flesh and white bone exposed. The only bright side was that they must have been inexperienced and missed what they were looking for. Something silver and green glinted in the gore, just barely visible.</p><p>The <b><i>child’s</i></b> Ender pearl was safe.</p><p>The boy looked up at the stranger. His blue eyes flashed with shock, alarm, confusion, recognition, and bewildered excitement all at once. “<b><i>Wh--who? Thought we were only ones,</i></b>” he said, his Ender clearly broken. Time noticed that he also had a bit of a strange accent. Probably from growing up around humans instead of his own people, Time guessed. He tried to block out the voice in the back of his head screaming to <b><i>protect the child Lookers everywhere too many Lookers get child safe--</i></b></p><p>"<b><i>That’s not important. Child. I’m going to take care of this. The Looker with the… mask is a friend, yes?</i></b>" Time made sure to keep his words as slow and deliberate as he could. The <b><i>child protect dangerous kill the Lookers</i></b> nodded.</p><p>"<b><i>Yes.</i></b>"</p><p>"<b><i>Make sure he keeps it on.</i></b>"</p><p>The halfborn stiffened and his eyes widened. <b><i>He knows what’s going to happen. Shit,</i></b> Time thought. That meant that the kid had probably seen an Enderborn go feral already. If Time was a betting man, he would have put money on it being the <b><i>child</i></b> that had almost been de-pearled.</p><p>They were both so young. Time had a feeling that even if he wasn’t Enderborn, he’d still feel this need to protect them. Neither of them deserved this. They had just been born into the war that the Lookers humans had waged.</p><p>Then again, hadn’t they all?</p><p>With a nod, the <b><i>child</i></b><i> would you shut up already</i> teleported away, reappearing where the Demon halfborn and human were. The demonborn appeared to be trying to both heal their friend and fend off the attacking hunters, calling the human <b><i>Looker? But he’s wearing a mask--</i></b> something along the lines of “reckless muffin” in frantic Demon.</p><p>An axe glinted just over the <b><i>child protect the childsavehimLookersPROTECTTHECHILD</i></b></p><p>His mask was off before he even knew what he was doing.</p><p>Furious gold eyes met terrified brown ones.</p><p>Everything changed in an instant.</p><p>
  <b>
    <i>Protect the child.</i>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <i>Kill.</i>
  </b>
</p><p>---------</p><p>The next thing Time was aware of, he was walking. Something warm and soaking wet was huddled next to him--no, that was someone. A blazeborn. When had he picked up a blazeborn? </p><p>Why was he shaking?</p><p>Why did his body feel so… <i>heavy</i>?</p><p>As his knees buckled, Time was aware of another presence, on his other side. His blind side. It was dry, but cold. Yet, not cold in the unpleasant way that the snow or the wind was. This was cold in a way that he’d only felt from one person before. Cold like the void, cold like Ender magic. Cold like a place that had felt like home, even the first time he saw it.</p><p>He held onto that familiar cold like a lifeline as images and scraps of thoughts flooded his mind. Focused on the concerned shouts of the people around him instead of the terrified last screams of the hunters. The feeling of being lifted onto Epona, next to something frigid and wet and sticky rather than the phantom feeling of claws tearing through flesh. The thought that his saddle was going to need to have the blood cleaned off of it when he got home rather than the loud, angry Ender thoughts that must have been racing through his mind when he was fighting the hunters. </p><p>Eventually, the images and thoughts ran themselves dry. Once he felt up to it, he slid himself off of Epona. Sure, he nearly toppled the poor human over, but he was on his feet now. Even if his legs were a little unsteady. The rest of the group seemed unsure, and the blazeborn offered to support him again.</p><p>“<b><i>Are okay? Sure?</i></b>” the <b><i>child</i></b><i> damnit I thought you were gone</i> asked with worry. Time nodded.</p><p>“I’ll be fine, thanks,” he said, waving them both off. </p><p>The human looked skeptical. “Are you sure? I’m no expert, but collapsing like that after… after going feral, I don’t think that’s normal.” Time didn’t miss his hesitation there, and a part of him wanted to feel smug about it. The rest was numb after what had just happened.</p><p>“How would I know?” Time retorted. “It’s not like I’ve had ample opportunity to meet more of my kind. As far as I was aware, my son and I were the only ones left.”</p><p>An excited gasp caused his lips to twitch upwards. “There’s more of us?!”</p><p>Time nodded. “Yes, there are, young one.” Young one? Really? He really was an Old Man like the boys kept calling him, wasn’t he? “My son is halfborn, like you.”</p><p>“What’s his name? What’s your name? I’m Tubbo!”</p><p>With a chuckle, Time replied. “His name is Twilight, and mine is Time.”</p><p>“Ooh, what’s it mean what’s it mean?” Tubbo asked excitedly, bouncing up and down. </p><p>The Demon halfborn frowned. “Tubbo, the poor guy looks exhausted, maybe don’t--”</p><p>“It’s fine,” Time said. At least the kid was occupied with something besides worrying about his friend--brother? Time didn’t know if they were related by blood, but he assumed they were close--who had been laid on Epona’s back. “Twilight means the same in Ender as it does in human. As for my name…” The ranch was coming into view now. He could just barely make out Malon and Wild’s sihlouettes in the kitchen window. Wind and Hyrule were out in the pasture, chasing fireflies as Legend and Warriors watched on. Sky was probably soundly asleep by now. He caught a glimpse of Shadow heading out to the barn, with Four’s sword in his hand. Twilight was waiting out by the stable, looking up at the night sky with yellow-orange eyes that glowed ever so slightly in the dark. His family was all here, safe and sound.</p><p>“It means Fierce Protector.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DREAM ISN'T DEAD I PROMISE!! Hyrule and Bad patched him up once they got inside. As for Time's little moment there, I'm kinda hc-ing that it's not entirely uncommon for Enderborns to black out while going feral and then have everything come rushing back shortly after they've returned to normal. </p><p>Also! For the LU folks! Think you can guess what type of born each Link is? Who are the humans? I'm curious to see if anyone gets it.</p><p>Questions? Comments? Concerns? Let me know in the comments! Don't forget to kudos if you liked the fic! Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful day/night! :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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